Last month, Apple released yet another iPhone model; the iPhone 6S. While the average iPhone user might be inclined to believe that the newest model of the iPhone does not have any significant upgrades (besides the price), this new phone is a huge improvement on previous iPhones. Sure, it has a better camera and processor (making it faster than its predecessors), but the biggest change in this new model, is its new “3D Touch” feature.

3D Touch is a new feature that makes the iPhone 6S truly different than previous models. By using new technology that can sense how hard a user presses on the screen, the iPhone 6s touchscreen is the most interactive Apple device yet. With this feature, you can ‘peek’ at files and pages by lightly pressing on the iPhone screen. If you want to ‘pop’ into the page, simply press on the screen more forcefully. Lightly pressing or tapping on the iPhone home screen, will result in a menu of ‘quick actions’ or frequently used actions. Pressing harder will execute the selected action. This new feature will revolutionize the way you use your iPhone touchscreen, making it both easier and more efficient to use and navigate. You could even say that this feature makes the iPhone 6s more - forgive the pun - hands on.

3D touch uses a form of technology that involves several layers of sensors under the iPhone screen. These sensors detect microscopic movements between the screen and the backlight of the iPhone, sensing the microscopic bend of the glass screen. While bending glass might sound unstable, don’t let this worry you. The iPhone screen bends so slightly that it in no way hurts your phone. Essentially this new feature has two functional outcomes; pressing lightly sends one signal to the sensors, while pressing harder sends a different signal - giving your screen two functions instead of one.

The new 3D touch may seem a little redundant as smartphones already have the touch-and-hold feature, where you can keep your finger on the touchscreen to execute a new action. However, the iPhone 6S is unlike any of its kind as it refines this feature, enabling the user to efficiently - and less clumsily - navigate their phones in a much more practical way.

So, what are some practical ways to use the new 3D Touch feature? If you lightly tap on an email, you can get a preview of its contents, which may make it unnecessary to fully open the file. If the preview isn’t enough, all you have to do is press a little harder to open the email completely. This significantly cuts down the time spent fumbling around in your iPhone, and can increase productivity. In a world where technology continuously becomes more complex, the iPhone 6S is introducing an innovative feature that is making the iPhone more user-friendly, fluid and easy to use. It is safe to assume that this technology will carry over to the newer iPhone models, and even iPads.

Another plus side to the 3D Touch feature is that it can potentially make mobile games much more interactive. Adding one more button function to your screen can make mobile gaming much easier and open the door for a more in-depth gaming experience. As an article in Forbes puts it, the new 3D touch is “like having two buttons on a mouse: tapping the screen is the equivalent of a left-click, pressing is like a right-click.”

One potential setback that comes with the iPhone 6s, is that the new technology makes the screen much more sensitive and valuable as it is more advanced. Where before cracking your iPhone screen was a minor inconvenience, the 3D Touch feature may require the need to get your iPhone screen fixed immediately before being able to use it properly. Luckily, this is becoming easier and more accessible for iPhone users, being that there are phone repair businesses everywhere.

So what other reasons are there to buy the new iPhone 6S, other than a touch feature that you may not feel like you need? It is faster, and has twice as much ram as the 6 and 6 Plus. Its camera has a high resolution to rival most competing phones, which is reason enough for most people. Unfortunately, the battery life isn’t any better than the previous model - in fact it’s a little smaller - although better battery life was iPhone users’ number one request.

While users are still getting used to the new 3D Touch feature, Apple is already hard at work on the iPhone 7 which is sure to incorporate this technology, as well as toning down the current trend of “bigger is better” in smartphones.